MIDWEST FISHING REPORT
ICE FISHING: CHAIN: Greg Dickson at Triangle: “We have pretty nice cold weather staring us in the puss. From Tuesday on, it looks like we are camped under freezing. It looks very promising. But right now, I don’t know how to call it. [Areas] blocked from the wind will get capped, and ice will [thicken].’’ N. WIS.: MINOCQUA: Kurt Justice: Creepers still a must, most areas have 5-6 inches of ice; walleye (early evening best bite, jigging lures or jigging spoons), bluegill (green weeds in 4-6 ft.) and crappie are very good.
LAKEFRONT PERCH: Blow dirtied the water in places, but action has been outstanding at Diversey, Navy Pier, DuSable and Steelworkers. Boaters able to get out are catching them in Cal Harbor and up the river. Park Bait will be open at least through the weekend. PARKING: Montrose (free parking); Navy Pier (check in parking office in east lot and be out by 10 a.m. for $6 parking); DuSable Harbor (fisherman’s lot); Burnham (meters or fisherman’s lot); Steelworkers Park (free street parking). PASSES: Pier passes ($6) for selected piers in the Chicago harbors — Montrose, Belmont, Diversey, DuSable, Burnham, Jackson — are available at Park Bait (while open) and Henry’s. The $10 parking passes (DuSable, Burnham fisherman’s lots) are available at Henry’s. AREA LAKES: In between.
AREA RIVERS: DES PLAINES: Marcus Benesch: Big, slow swimbaits and crankbaits (6-inch Jake a top choice) producing pike along weed lines and submerged timber; water in upper-30s. KANKAKEE: River up and stained, most of the weekend precipitation was rain. Before then, Matt Mullady was still catching smallmouth on artificials, even with water in the 30s.
LAKEFRONT: Perch at top. Henry’s: Seeing a few lakers on the South Side lakefront.
NW IND.: Perch at top. Slez’s: Some winter-run steelhead in Salt, Trail and even Little Cal, best on Voodoo jigs (black and purple) tipped with butterworms or waxies.
ST. JOSEPH, MICH.: Tackle Haven: Before the rains, steelhead and walleye were good, best by Berrien Springs.
SHABBONA: Park hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Lakeside reopens when ice fishing comes.